


Remembrance

by xxSilverChaos



Series: Stories in Progress (Ficlets) [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Out of Character, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-05-02
Updated: 2013-05-02
Packaged: 2017-12-10 05:47:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/782495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xxSilverChaos/pseuds/xxSilverChaos
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Not everything goes to plan when it comes to meddling with time and Gods of Death. The beloved Fourth Hokage is about to learn this the hard way. What will come of this change?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Remembrance

**Author's Note:**

> What would happen if the Fourth was still around to see what his actions had done to his son? What if he was powerless to do a thing about it? This story explores this idea. Short ficlet. Not Beta'd, sorry in advance for that. * This is one of my first stories, I haven't thought about in years. It's likely I will not be continuing it.*

Jiraya walked slowly from the setting sun, his eyes turned away from the large four faced mountain that stood silently watching the village at its base. His heart ached with double edged pain as he left behind the destruction of his once home. The loss of one person selectively searing at his memory but he forcefully pushed it away. It was the right thing, his leaving, he was needed elsewhere, but not here, not here where he had died. No matter what the old Hokage said, he could not stay and face the responsibility left to him in his students death. Honorable or not, he could not stand to see that same face everyday, reminding him of the loss he had suffered. It wasn’t the kids fault but he knew now nothing could keep him in this village and just like Tsunade had done before him and Orochimaru before her, the last of the sannin fled the land he had come to love.

Sarutobi sighed as he turned his face away from the crystal like globe set upon his desk. He knew his student was only doing what he thought was best but as his eyes found the child laying peacefully in his office, he felt the fresh pain sting again. The loss of the Yondaime would be felt by all for a long time to come and his child had not a chance, he knew. He, himself, could not bring himself to look at him any longer then necessary, the pain to fresh, to new. Motioning to the ANBU, he ordered them to drop off the child at the orphanage and with a swear of their secrecy and a sign of his name, marked the change of that babies life, forever.

Death, Destruction, Loss. All those words and more paled at the sight that met this young boys eyes. Scanning the horizon and his home, he knew. This day would change their lives forever. The weight of destiny hung heavily over everything. It was days but seemed only moments ago when a great and terrible beast had brought upon this moment. It was something so horrible, not even the greatest of shin obi war could compare. He had lost so much, so many, and so had the village. His sensei, the Yondaime, was dead, killed by the thing he had managed to defeat. The cruelty of such a fate was not lost on him. Eyes closing, he mourned once more the loss of them, his team and his sensei, as well as the life they had all known up until that moment.

  


* * *

  


Calculating eyes stared out at the devastation that racked the village hidden in the leaves. Young eyes that seemed to hold the wise years of a divine ancient. Dark blood red orbs spinning slightly, memorizing every bit of the wreckage, the blood, the death that hung heavy, seedy on that evening. He would remember it all with crystal clear clarity for the rest of his young life and up until his death but it was necessary. Now he would never forget that everything he did was to prevent this, to keep such a thing from ever occurring again. He had lost his Hokage, his cousin, so many of his family in these past few days but never, never would these memories leave him. His world forever changed, scarred, and tainted.

Darkness. Death. The air was heavy, the scent of blood thickening it deeply, headily. He breathed it in. Savored in it. Death. He hungered for it. Hungered for destruction. 

  


* * *

  


One grew accustom to loss and pain. One grew up on it, thrived in it, each moment breaking yet making stronger. Every new Beginning came from an end. The closing of a book, a chapter in another life. Something fresh. A bud blooming in a tread of ash, like a phoenix raising from its grave to bless the world anew once more with its divine being. Death is only one step in life. The next great event in the circle of being for life and death are both a door for when one closes the other is opened.

  


* * *

  


A young boy, no older then four or five, stood gazing out the window in the Hokage’s tower. His hair was blonde and shone brightly even in the late evenings sun. His eyes a bright blue like the clear morning sky studied the land just beyond the village buildings. Years of his life had been spent here, in this same position over looking the village, his village, and yet here he could only look away, to a point beyond the farthest wall, to freedom. He missed it, the moments when life had been simple, the time beyond his death were he was in peace. But, the one place he had loved had betrayed him. His memory, his legacy, his child and for that, they would pay.

A voice called to him and he turned with a small smile to the Old man Hokage who stood before him. The man did not recognize him though he knew that the man wondered over his features, those that looked remarkably like those of a young genin he also knew served him. “Hai, Hokage-sama.” He replied softly to the question posed to him. It had been a few days, over a week, he assumed, since he’d been brought here and the old man had grown fond of him, though why he was not certain. Perhaps it was because of the frequent looks he gave him. He must remind him everyday of Naruto and the Yondaime. It seemed to draw them to together so he would not complain. Whatever kept him here was a positive thing.

  


* * *

  


He was cold, he remembered, when he’d awoken. Cold and vulnerable to the elements, exposed in ways no ninja should be. He’d been confused as well, for had he not been in Konoha, glancing down at his child for what would be the first and last time as a jutsu, sacred, forbidden, stole away his life. He glanced at the wilderness around him but it was empty. Simply trees for miles around him. Standing unsteadily, he tried to place his position but the location brought up no memories. He must have been out, perhaps the day had been a dream, but no. His death had seemed all too real. Was this what death was like? He frowned slightly, the thought not meshing with his situation. But then, how was he still living and where, exactly was he? Shivering a bit more, he glanced down at the swaying grass at his feet and noticed he wore no shoes. Frowning softly again, he studied his feet and his mind clicked off for all of a moment before coming back at a swift speed, whirling.

He was tiny! Not just his feet but his legs, smooth and pale. His thin black shorts barely reaching half way to his knees. Glancing at his arms, he could say the same of them. His white tee reached partially to his elbows, doing nothing to protect his goose bumped skin from the chill wind. He was a child, if his estimation was correct and his eyes were not simply deceiving him. A simple ‘kai’ had done nothing to reverse or shed more light on the situation. He cursed, for at that moment, it seemed a most appropriate thing to do. He was cold, alone, lost, and hungry, his chakra reserves though functional seemed flimsy at best and the morning light brought no warmth in this mid October season. Daylight, at least, comforted him somewhat, for certainly at night he would be considered pray to whatever lived and feed in the clearing he was in. No source of food presented itself and the sound of water was absent as well, at the moment, he was more concerned he would starve then be killed.

He may have been a ninja for a majority of his life but the odds were well and truly stacked against him this time. Then not for the first time, he found himself wondering what exactly was going on. He knew, of course, that he was Minato Namikaze, that he had been twenty-four when he died and Yondaime, and now was at least 4 in appearance and once again living. Reincarnation, he summarized. Long had such a thing been theorized but he knew it was a stretch, a long one at best. He may have his memories, a new body, but such a thing did not just happen. He was not born again. He just was. His new body created not through normal but spiritual ways and that was not the way a true reincarnation worked. It made no sense. He could not simply use religion to explain all this away. Thinking hard upon the gods and the fates, the universe and its ways, brought no further answers and instead served to build a massive headache in their place. Rubbing fingers at his forehead, he stilled after a moment. Such distractions would get him killed. He needed to find food and shelter and simply standing here wondering would accomplish nothing.

He’d spent hours of that day and had only managed to find a cave. It was small and slightly damp but would protect him from most of the chill if he lined the floor with something to keep the rock and water away. Minutes of lining the floor with sticks and leaves and clumps of grasses brought him a rather warm bed and he was grateful that the forest floor was littered with newly fallen branches and crisp leaves. The fall season had come in helpful after all. The worst of the wind was shielded from him and the doorway to his shelter small and thin to keep the worst of predators away. At a distance it looked to be nothing more then a crack, not nearly big enough to be the entrance to a spacey cave. For a moment he contemplated the animals that had hidden here before him and looked thoughtful that no sign of a struggle or battle having taken place there. He would be safe. Food on the other hand, was a different story. He had found a couple of berries and a fruit that dripped water that was well beyond heavenly but nothing substantial or lasting. His supply would only last him a few days at best. He was in for a long hard stay if he tried to wait it out and would be in even more trouble he wandered from his cave. Things were defiantly not looking up for him.

He had spent days in his hiding place, leaving only to relieve himself quite further away to keep animals at bay. Food was nowhere to be seen and he was hungry, starving. What he wouldn’t do for a meal of Ichiraku Ramen. His stomach was pleading with him at each moment of the next few days and he finally gave in the morning of the sixteenth day. It had been so long since he’d entered his cave that his once pale skin was even paler, taking on an almost transparent sheen. His eyes had adjusted to the cultivating darkness and stung fiercely when he wandered out in the sun, driving him back to await the night. It would be more dangerous but at least he wouldn’t be all but blind.

It brought a cool crisp breeze and he shivered and held in a sneeze. He’d been wandering the forest for an uncountable amount of time, but it was still night and food was still nowhere in sight. He regretted now his decision but could not take it back. His once slightly worn clothes were now dirty and torn. His shorts shredded, his tee hanging off one shoulder, blonde hair threaded with leaves, sticks, and unknown species of plants and insects. Who knew a few hours in the would could utterly destroy a persons hygiene. Even his cave had kept him relatively fresh looking. Frowning faintly, he cursed his stomach for the umpteenth time. Food could have waited, he told himself, though he knew it was a lie. Would he rather have died again then suffer this way? He couldn’t bring himself to answer that as he rounded another tree and tripped over an exposed root, crashing rather noisily. He picked himself up and glanced around worriedly. At this rate, starvation might actually be the last thing on his mind. All he had to do was survive, he told himself, but the thought was gone as a large shadow fell over him and he gulped, in his panic, he had let something sneak up on him. Eyes wide, he gazed at the floor before chancing a look up. What he saw caused him to gasp.

Standing before him was a male, or what he thought to be male by his build, all dressed in what appeared to be black. The moonlight was weak between the trees leaves so the figures outfit was obscured to him but what he could sense of the others chakra, which in truth was very, very little, told him it was another ninja, a strong one to so fully hide his most basic element, thought if it was foe or ally he could not detect. His face was obscured as well but this one by a white mask, so surely it was an ANBU or a hunter-nin, but what exactly, could it want from him? He pondered on the question as the other studied him. Did it think him a threat? Taking a mental calculation of himself, he thought that could not be the case. What was it then?

He had sensed no other nin in the area so surely this hunter was not seeking out its pray. Perhaps his noises had attracted to him something much more deadly then he’d ever imagined. Animals were one thing but to die at the hands of another ninja, he’d rather not think on it. The one before him had finished studying him it seemed and now spoke in a deep velvety voice that he could not place, but which he thought he knew. Perhaps the other was a person from his past, but then to have changed so drastically as that, years must have passed. He tried not to think on that fact as he focused on the question that presented itself to him. “Why are you here?” He’d been asked and he blinked. It was not what he’d expected. “I’m lost.” He mumbled softly, his throat parched from lack of food and drink. His young voice cracked. It was odd to hear it. He had not spoken once since he’d reawakened and it was unexpected though he knew it shouldn’t be, after all, the rest of him was younger as well.

He did well hiding his surprise it seemed, as the other simply went on looking at him. “Where are you from?” was the next question posed and it took him great strength to hold in his initial impulse to reply ’from Konoha’ instead he took a long steady moment to think before answering, “Niotti.” If the other was surprised he hid it well. After all, Niotti of the Land of Sun was far far far from here, he was certain of it. Though how to explain how he got to where he was now, would be more difficult, especially since he had no idea where he was at this point. He decided to elaborate as the other said nothing. “Mama and I were traveling. A man came and he took her away.” He silenced again as the other stood still. It was the best he could do while being very vague. After all, he was a child, a baby in most ninja’s eyes. Bandits, rogues, and others were known to kidnap and kill all the time so it would not come as any surprise. He only hoped it worked as the other spoke again. “Where were you headed?” He knew his next words could be taken either way but he steadied himself and replied, “To Konoha.” That seemed to get a reaction however weak and tiny it was. So his guess was correct. He was in the land of fire, standing before one of his own ninja, probably only miles from the place he called home. The hunter before him was probably returning from a mission as he was sure it wasn’t a simple guard or sentry. 

A hand was extended to him and he looked at it wearily before looking up into the masked face. Hesitantly, he placed a hand in the black gloved one before him only to still then slump as he was knocked unconscious. Silence rushed around him and the world turned black.

  


* * *

  


The old man Hokage held his hand as they walked along the main road in Konoha’s busy shopping district. He kept his eyes averted to the street as he felt them looking. Whispers, hushed and scowls, angry, hating, but what did he do? He had been in this village, no, no longer his village, not these people, for little more then two weeks and already they jeered and sneered at him. It couldn’t be his appearance could it? Simply because he looked like the boy, his son they’d rejected? His anger which had mellowed slightly in the presence of his predecessor flared red and his killer intent spiked dangerously but he held it in, simply taking a step closer to the white robed male beside him. The white cloth that bound his eyes doing nothing to shield the utter loathing in the afternoon air. The man beside him glanced to him and sighed softly, ancient features saddened at the behavior of his beloved home.

He felt the air around them stir and glanced up. A male stood before them, tall and lanky. His chakra was hidden slightly and tightly controlled. Most likely a jounin, he decided as the Hokage chuckled. “Hokage-sama.” The voice spoke and the male bowed slightly to which the Hokage seemed to smile. “Kakashi.” He froze at the sound of his former students name, mind rushing to connect the voice he’d heard to the male standing before them. He hadn’t recognized it at all. He felt the others eyes on him and quickly looked down and away from him. The masked jounin raised a brow and looked to the Hokage whose smile seemed to fall slightly though he kept his tone cheerful. “This is?” His words faded off there as the Old man nodded and Kakashi turned back to gaze at him. It was unnerving.

It seemed Kakashi and his genin team would be looking after him that afternoon while the Hokage was away at a meeting. It was upsetting in a way. These past two weeks he’d gotten used to never leaving the Hokage’s side. He’d come to rely on him. Cursing his thoughts, he held on to the Hokage tightly, who chuckled and patted his head. “I’ll be back in a few hours. Don’t fret.” It may have been odd to the villagers that the Hokage had taken in a child, a stranger but the old man felt a deep connection with this kid. So like the two people who’d grown close to his heart. He trusted Kakashi to look after him but none other. He’d seen the glances, almost worse then they had been with the other blonde child under his care. It wasn’t fair to send the boy into that same life and so he hadn’t. He kept him here, within the tower, watched constantly by his ANBU. He wouldn’t put it past his village to kill the one that reminded them of the threat they had not a chance to eliminate. What had become of his people?

  


* * *

  


The three students standing outside his new apartment door were not excited about babysitting at all. They were slouching, slumped and grumbling. He could hear them clearly from his spot sitting on the center of the couch. The old man Hokage had left him here only moments before, asking him to behave himself and leaving him with a box of his books and other things from his room in the Tower. As if he wouldn’t know the difference, but he did. This place felt wide and empty. He shivered. It was slightly creepy. It held no sense of home or comfort, just a sparsely furnished space. At least, he thought to himself, the change of venue wasn’t permanent. This way was simply easier then having the three genin and their sensei at the tower where they would have to wander here and there within the building, mostly likely getting in the way, especially the blonde knucklehead. The Hokage had chuckled when Kakashi had mentioned it. His bandaged blue eyes glanced from side to side as he tried to get his bearings. It was frustrating to have lost something so vital though his other senses had enhanced well enough to cope with it. His hearing was sharpened and his ability to sense chakra increased, almost tripled. He supposed it explained how easily he had sensed that ANBU on the night he was found. His eyesight wasn’t gone completely but it wasn’t until night fell that he was able to see clearly, his eyes soothed by the darkness that had been his companion every day in that cave.

A knock came at his door and he turned in that direction. “Come in.” He said loudly, and the front door swung open, admitting the familiar form of Kakashi with a wide grin on his face. “Yo!” He didn’t reply as his students walked in right after him. His head was turned in their direction and he studied the steady waves of chakra that flowed around and within them. He couldn’t quite see them like the Hyuuga could but more sense them like a slight wave or aura around their person, so things like emotion were clearer to him. The first was a calm and steady wave, smooth like water. The chakra control was pinnacle, precise but the raging river flowed beneath that betrayed the true duel nature of the person. The amount wasn’t grand or anything, small even for a genin but razor sharp. He guessed this was Sakura Haruno, the female of the three. She was skilled in chakra control and well versed in the other arts, a book worm.

Tilting his head to the boy to her right, he sensed a heat, but it was a cold heat. Fire and lightening. The second was weak but present. The chakra was cackling away softly like a warm hearth and he could sense the overlaying displeasure at the situation but deeper, deeper burned a dark hatred and the burning stings of resentment and loneliness. He felt his own heart ache at these feelings. This one, so focused on revenge, the avenger, Uchiha Sasuke. The resident Genius and ‘to cool for you’ loner. He felt bad for him truthfully. Such a life was a long and lonely one.

Turning his head once more, he focused on the third and final student. A brilliant chakra, almost blinding in its intensity, because there simply was so much of it, was eerily threaded with something darker and sinister. The Kyuubi. It’s chakra slowly leaking and melding into that of his son’s. The chakra was bubbly in places, unstable and he held back a frown at the constant mix and flow of it. Wind and fire, fanning flames. It was a never ending mess of chakra, so little control he feared that it would all escape and crush everything in its surroundings. It was no little wonder that his son, Naruto Uzumaki had kept it all so under control, even with the help of his seal. Unable to look at the brilliance of it any longer, he quickly looked away towards Kakashi whose chakra eased his mind. A cold chill, falling snow. He enjoyed the feeling of it as it brushed against his senses.

“So whose this punk then?” Came the voice he identified as Naruto’s but didn’t turn in his direction. Kakashi answered instead. “This is the Hokage’s newest charge. We’re to watch him while Hokage-sama is in a meeting.” All three of the students where now studying him, suddenly interested in the kid that before they cared nothing about. What hypocrisy. He let them stare, keeping his attention focused solely on Kakashi. It was odd to sense this side of his student that he really had no memories of before. He had truly changed. A smile twisted up his lips and he scooted off the couch to walk over to Kakashi. Standing at his feet, he gazed up at him, his thick white bandages not allowing him to see but he could sense him easily. Reaching up both hands, he stood there silently. The three students behind their teacher blinked and glanced up at their sensei. Kakashi himself was rather surprised. The child had shied away from him yesterday and yet now he wanted him to carry him?

Arms wrapped around his form and he was lifted in the air, much to his surprise and Kakashi’s student’s. He smiled faintly as he leaned into the others tall form. His forehead pressed against the males shoulder. He was comfortable here, even his twenty four year old self didn’t seem to mind, amused as it were to see the frigid Kakashi doing something so menial as carrying a child even if that child was him. It seemed he wasn’t the only one as he heard Sakura coo something and the other two males snicker. Kakashi scowled at them and shooed them to the couch, were they threw themselves down. Sakura sat in a chair to the side and Kakashi wandered away from them to the kitchen. He could here the students speculating but nothing they came up with was even viable. He supposed children were simply children after all, ninja or not.

Set down on a counter top, he listened as Kakashi went about preparing himself a cup of hot tea. He thought it a bit odd that the jounin was even here, as usually they sat aside and watched the students mission from a distance. He figured though, that he was here on request of the hokage personally. It was a bit mind blowing to think the Hokage found him so important as to merit that. After all, he was simply a child found in the woods. An orphan. “Hatake-sama.” He called softly, pausing the movements of the other who gave a one-eyed smile. “May I have some tea as well?” He asked only to receive a positive reply and he smiled as a few minutes later a cup of warm tea was set in his hands. Bringing it to his mouth, he frowned slightly at the child’s sippy cup in his hands feeling a bit insulted but quickly replaced it with a grateful smile as Kakashi looked to him. “Thank you.”

As Kakashi walked them back to the living room area, he sipped slowly on his tea. It was delicious, though a bit sweet. Together they sat on the two-seater and the others chattered back and forth, pretty much ignoring his existence once more. He was okay with that though as he slid off the couch and walked to his box of things. Setting his cup aside, he dug around until he found some paper and some crayons. He picked up both with one arm and with his cup in his other, made his way to the younger of chill chakra, Sasuke Uchiha. Standing before him, he stared up at him blankly. The raven haired boy noticed him watching and stared at him in return. He set his cup on the side table and held out the paper and crayons to the dark haired boy in front of him. The other stared blankly though the blonde at his side was chuckling.

Kakashi gave the boy a firm glance and the Uchiha sighed before taking both the paper and the crayons. He smiled softly to himself as he climbed up onto the couch at Sasuke’s side. Settling in next to him, he waited as Sasuke placed a sheet of paper on his lap. Kakashi tucked a book beneath the page and he smiled to him gratefully before the crayons were set at his side. He leaned into the Uchiha’s side for a moment and noticed him stiffen before he pulled a black crayon from his colors box. At first he’d had a lot of trouble with anything consisting of chakra less entities but he’d picked up a small trick after the first few days. If he filtered a bit of his own chakra into each crayon, a slightly different amount in each one, he could remember which was which. He did the same as he drew, bringing the picture alive in his mind, able to sense the chakra in each line so that his colorings were more then the scribbles of before. Of course the Hokage had helped him greatly at first but now he could do it mostly on his own.

Waiting until the Uchiha began to draw, he then started his own. Slowly he drew the Uchiha as he pictured him from the aura swirling in his own as he leaned against the other male. A few black spikes and bangs for hair and pale skin. Black dots for eyes and a thin line of a mouth, slightly down turned in displeasure. A blue shirt with similar shorts and blue ninja sandals. It wasn’t his best work, far from it, but with his limited sight and the fact that he’d never before in his life seen the ninja, he decided the thin figure was pretty spectacular. Signing the boys name in Kanji, he smiled and held it up to the male beside him. The three students in the room just stared. “Whoa, how did he do that?!”

“Chakra.” Came the reply and the four of them turned to Kakashi, though he himself was smiling slightly as he gazed at his former student, proud he had figured it out so easily. The three around him were confused so their sensei elaborated. “Each crayon is filled with just a trickle of the child’s chakra, each one with a varying amount depending on the color, with the lines on the page also radiating chakra, so he can tell which color is which and where each line is. Detecting chakra is a skill all ninja posses but with this brat it’s a bit different. Because one of his senses is missing, his chakra sensors are much more delicate, making it easier for him to use this method for drawing. You’ll find that most other children have trouble with it because they don’t have this exact kind of sensibility. It can also be used for a variety of other things, including the reading of chakra in people.” Sakura spoke up after a moment of contemplation. “Is that why he knew what Sasuke looks like?” Kakashi nodded as the others focused once more on him. “In a way, yes, it is similar, but it’s a lot more difficult then just sensing chakra. You have to be able to read it, use the information you receive to pick out actual data about the person, very useful in the work of a ninja but also very rare.”

He felt the eyes of the others on him again and he crawled off the couch to move back to Kakashi’s side, uncomfortable at the return of that scrutiny. Sasuke had kept the drawing he’d given him though and that made him happy. The other ninja was truly lonely and he swore to himself that he wouldn’t let him be alone anymore.

  


* * *

  


It had been a little less then a month since he’d been found, saved and time was moving quickly. Earlier that morning he’d heard the Hokage and Kakashi discussing the decision of entering team seven and the rest of the Konoha nine into the Chunnin Exams in the following months and he found himself stunned. So quickly life had passed since his death and he felt a bit nostalgic. He found himself drifting a bit into depression as memories of his own chunnin exams flooded him. His team, his sensei, his family. Everything he’d known was different now. Fate had laughed at him. Sent him back when he’d much rather be dead. The village he lived in now was nothing to him. They’d betrayed him utterly and though he’d forgiven the old Man and Kakashi, the rest of them were worse then trash. His beloved village was nothing but a pile of sick and twisted power hungry monsters. Where had he gone so wrong?

The depression was no secret. The Hokage often asked him how he felt and he’d smile and say ‘okay’ but the watchful eye noticed his saddened expression. He was at a loss as what to do though Kakashi suggested enrolling the boy in the academy. Boredom, loneliness perhaps, at having no one his own age but he worried to send the boy there so young. The other students parents would not be happy. They had barely put up with having Naruto there, they would not stand for his double. Kakashi, however reluctantly, agreed. It was still too dangerous. Frowning, the Hokage sighed. The poor child was simply sitting here, wasting away, it was an awful thing to see. Sure he had his moments but the deep pain was more then obvious in his eyes. The echoing blue empty, staring at him as he changed their bandage each and every night, though he was able to see then, he preferred to look away.

One day it became to much as he found the boy laying his bed, unmoving from his curled position as tears fell unbidden down his cheeks, crying completely silently. He’d picked him up and taken him straight to the Konoha medical center just as he’d blacked out. The nurses rushed him in and a doctor quickly examined him thoroughly, working swiftly as the boys chakra wavered and thinned dangerously. Chakra exhaustion, he mumbled, but that wasn’t quite it. The boy would seizure violently, screams wracking him, echoing eerily in the hospital building and startling other patients, only to fall deathly still, whimpering. It was horrible to witness. He was so young, a baby, and here he lay, suffering, dying.

After hours of work, the child slumped suddenly and lay still. His chakra fluctuating only for a moment more before slowly settling back to its normal steady rhythm. The doctor took a breath and let it out slowly, stilling the green flow of chakra that had been working non stop for the better part of the day to calm the flow of chakra in the child’s system. He stood, ordering the nurse out of the room before closing the door and moving out to seek the Hokage. “Hokage-sama, the child is stable once again.” The old man let out a relieved sigh and followed the doctor who led him to his office. Once the door was closed tightly, activating privacy seals, the doctor sighed as well. “I’m very sorry to have to inform you of this Hokage-sama, but it seems the boy was suffering from chakra poisoning.” The Hokage froze, stunned. “I removed what I could, but the dose was more then effective. Even a moment later could have meant death.” The old man was speechless as the doctor continued on. “His body will work the rest of the poison out on its own but this is a very serious crime, as I’m sure you understand. I would recommend a full investigation of everyone close to him as soon as possible.”

Murder was a very serious crime, but the murder of a child was unheard of in this village. What kind of monster would do such a thing to an innocent? The Uchiha Massacre was as close as it’d come but even that had a valid reason, in the eyes of the village council. Kakashi himself was horrified at the news and he blamed himself as did many others in the Tower who had come to love the polite little boy of the Hokage’s. “How?” They asked themselves. The child was never out of there sight. Each one was interrogated and each time they found nothing. The boy himself had said nothing since his release from the hospital and he was accompanied by three ANBU and the Hokage himself at each outing so no one could question him.

He was confused. His memories of the past few days muddled. He remembered his depression, he remembered the pain he’d felt but it was so unlike him. He’d never been so sad, so empty. It was indescribable. The doctors said he’d been poisoned, but when? He’d been so careful ever since he’d come to this village, realized their silent anger towards him. He’d never sensed the danger, noticed an imposter, or even heard of something like chakra poisoning accruing without physical contact. Could it have happened before he arrived here? He didn’t remember anything before awaking in the forest. It had to have been when he’d had his guard down then and then it clicked. His room in the tower wasn’t sealed, the only thing protecting him was the Hokage’s ANBU. Another traitor then. He felt his heart clench, his village was betraying him again. Never had the former Yondaime felt so utterly defeated. There was nothing left to save in this village, it seemed. Disappointed in everything, he shut himself off from the world around him, his voice silenced in his shunning. The Hokage and even Kakashi could get nothing. He would never forget this, never truly forgive.

  


* * *

  


Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura sat pensively. It had been a rather exciting afternoon, learning about the Chunnin exams and training, but the news of what had happened to the Hokage’s charge had finally reached them and they were shocked and worried. They had grown close to the kid during their different babysitting missions. He was quiet, shy, but happy all the time. Who would want to hurt him? Naruto, himself, was taking it rather hard, harder then the rest of them. It was reminding him of himself, of his own assassination attempts, add that to the fact that the boy was blonde and small as well as a ward of the Hokage, and his past was replying itself before his eyes. He shuddered and stood up, walking away from them quickly with an excuse of not feeling well. He wasn’t followed and he was grateful his teammates left him alone even if they hadn’t quite understood.

Naruto sighed loudly as he hopped from roof to roof, making his way towards the Hokage Tower. He’d tried to stop the memories but he couldn’t. He just needed to see if the kid was in one piece, that’s all, he told himself. No matter that it was the middle of the night, that the Hokage was most likely asleep and the ANBU where stepping up security. He needed to see him. Drawing the ANBU away with a few pranks near by and a Shadow clone, he sneaked into the tower and past the guards inside to the guest rooms within. Peaking into each room, he finally found the one he was looking for but the child inside wasn’t sleeping as he’d predicted instead he was sitting on the edge of the bed, staring right at him with brilliant sky blue eyes. His heart froze. It was almost like looking into a mirror, at his child like self just with a few minor differences. He felt his own blue eyes widening in disbelief that such a thing was even possible.

“Naruto-kun.” The soft voice snapped the male out of his stupor and he moved quickly to the child’s side, checking him over, poking and prodding. The boy blinked, startled but allowed his son to do what he wished, watching silently. Naruto breathed a sigh of relief as he took in that the boy before him was actually alright. Then out of the desperate need he was feeling, hugged the boy tightly to himself and mumbled softly, “Thank Kami.” He couldn’t understand why the other was so affected, but his heart was beating wildly in his chest as he was held. His own arms slid around the elder’s waist. He was almost unaware of the tears spilling down his cheeks until he was sobbing into the others brilliant orange jumper. The older held him closer and tried his best to comfort him as he himself had wished so often to be comforted. Who was this boy who looked just like him, who suffered his fate because of him?

Naruto knew it was his own fault. That child was a victim of his own awful history and it stung deeply. Had the sealing of the Kyuubi into himself as a baby really effected his village so much that they would take out such hatred on an innocent? Yes, his mind told him and he recoiled from it. Instead he turned his mind outwards, to the boy now sleeping quietly against his chest. “I’m sorry.” He whispered and like a dam, his own tears began to fall, sliding down his cheeks and dripping into the others blonde spiky hair. He felt so useless. He’d always borne his burden alone, thinking that he could keep the curse all to himself and he had failed. A little boy had almost died today, because him, no, because of Kyuubi. He cursed the fox ten times over and held the boy in his arms tighter.

The ANBU guards had returned but kept their distance. Naruto was not considered a threat, no matter how a few complained. He was allowed in when he visited, even this late. The Hokage himself had been alerted though and had come up to see for himself. The vision that met his eyes when he did arrive in the rooms door way had him smiling weakly. There on the bed was his newest charge, eyes closed as he breathed in and out softly. His head resting on Naruto’s arm as the older boy curled around him, his other arm tossed over the younger’s body, enclosing him, protecting him. It broke his ancient heart even at the adorableness of the sight. Those two, would suffer. For a long time to come, but he had faith. Faith in Naruto and in his village. Perhaps one day these things would change. With that thought he left and Naruto slid closer to the young boy in his arms. His heart swearing a promise to protect. Never again would another suffer for him. He would protect him and his precious people, even if it killed him in the process. For that was the true will and way of a Hokage.

Things had gone relatively back to normal since the day the scare had passed. The Hokage was no closer to finding the assassin though his charge had mentioned his theory. To think one of his ANBU had purposely done this hurt him greatly but the child had a point. All of his ANBU were currently being screened but the chance that an enemy had infiltrated his special unit was surprisingly high. His mood was relatively uplifted though, as his charge was recuperating well. He was finally speaking again and his depression had faded away but the moment he’d had with Naruto was never mentioned and the two were not seen together again until today. He’d asked Kakashi to watch the boy during another of his council meetings and he’d agreed, taking the boy with him to test his three students for the upcoming chunnin exams that were nearer and nearer every day. He had to admit he was excited. People from all over the fire nation would be in attendance. A proud moment for ninja of every village who’d be coming to participate. A monumental day in the life of many.

He was frowning slightly as he stood at Kakashi’s side, listening to him inform his students of the training for that day. It didn’t seem enough for the important exams that were coming up, surely he should be working them harder? He was curious and confused as the other sent them off and he turned bandaged blue eyes to the elder. “Hatake-sama?” He asked and the male looked to him with a quiet ‘hm?’ “Shouldn’t the genin be working harder then this? The chunnin exams are one of the most important test in a young ninja’s life and if he’s not prepared he could face serious injuries, expulsion from the nin program, and even death.” He kept his question spoken in a relatively quiet tone, not wanting the younger ninja to over here and practically pee there pants in fear. Kakashi chuckled. “They have been doing their own training for months, this is simply giving them time to work as a team and show off individual skills they’ve accomplished.” He nodded, understanding what Kakashi was trying to do and he praised the man silently in his head. His student was truly living up to his former status as an asshole today. He stifled a faint chuckle at the idea of it and watched the sparring go all out.

It was interesting to see. The flares of chakra, the use of jutsu, the clink of metal against metal. Beautiful, like a dance. Natural in the purest sense. Without his sight, he could get a true feel of what each person felt, how they reacted, what they would do next. The influx of data was enormous. Blinking, there were several moments where he had to look away, Naruto’s chakra blinding in its intensity. His son was certainly persistent, a trait he knew he’d gotten from Kushina. The thought of his once love was sudden and it was similar to ripping off a bandage from a freshly scabbed wound. Painful in the first instance only to slowly dull away to a quiet ache. His lovely Kushina was dead. It was hard on him to think of it. Why had he gotten a second chance, why not she who had offered this world so much more then he ever could? He smiled at the simple thought of her long red hair, her cheeky smile and colorful outfits. Naruto got his love of orange from her too, he was sure. 

Pulled from the thoughts of his once to be bride, he focused on the bickering of the three students before him and smiled a bit. It was always interesting to listen to them gripe at one another for the simplest things. Even Kakashi was chuckling as he broke up the argument and set each of them to practice on their own. A hand was held out to him and he blinked before turning bandaged eyes up to the blonde before him. Naruto. He’d tried his best to avoid a moment alone with his son since that incident when he’d broken down. He’d told himself it was only a dream over and over again though he knew it was real. He was supposed to defend his son, shelter him from danger, not the other way around. He was ashamed at his behavior and as such quickly turned away from the hand held out to him, knowing the other wanted to talk. Instead he wandered over to the Uchiha’s side, holding up hands for him to carry him. The Uchiha gave an annoyed ‘hn’ but carried him anyway, leading them away from the other three and into the village.

Kakashi was supposed to be watching the brat but he had other business to attend to, mainly learning more about this moment the Hokage had mentioned involving Naruto. He too had noticed the similarities in both brats situations and he was curious as to how his student was holding up. Said genin was looking after the retreating Uchiha’s back and the young boy he carried in his arms. Sakura had wandered away in her own direction as well, mind completely preoccupied on her decision for her team or for herself. Noticing the forlorn expression on his students face, he sighed and went up to him. “Naruto.” The teen glanced up to him and grinned, though he could see it did not reach his eyes. “Yea, Kakashi -sensei?” 

He had to admit he enjoyed spending time with Uchiha Sasuke. The glares that usually followed him were simply non existent as they quickly looked away or spent more time studying the genin beside him. Though Sasuke would carry him, in private, in town he’d simply walk at his side with a distracted look in his eyes. Probably remembering, he thought to himself as he followed at Sasuke’s side, speeding up to a light jog at times to keep up. The bandages over his eyes made following a bit difficult and he stumbled but the others chakra was a beacon and worked well as a guide. His thoughts about the dark haired male varied and often he found himself wondering what had happened. The Uchiha Massacre echoed in his mind in reply but why? He had known Uchiha Itachi, had worked with him, and he was not a power hungry monster. He was cool, collected, compassionate, and most of all honest and loyal to Konoha. There was a reason for the blood shed, one that the Hokage and Kakashi did not mention, if they even knew at all.

Sasuke’s brooding face left nothing exposed, though his emotions were much more obvious in the undertones of his chakra. So much pain, betrayal. He understood the feelings. Probably better then anyone else in this village ever would. His home had broken his heart and completely crushed any trust he would ever have in its people again. It must be a similar feeling for Sasuke, for someone whom he had admired to have brought this upon him. The excruciating thought that his life was meant for nothing more then to keep his clan alive by brining death to the one who had betrayed them. How could anyone go on with that kind of selflessness? The hatred that burned would never be enough because he loved his brother. He knew that Sasuke loved him, could feel it beneath the utter hatred for his situation. It was tragic to think the boy would have rather died that night then to go on living knowing what he had to one day do. His heart went out to the raven and he felt himself drawn to him. The boy’s will was immense. His determination to complete his goal was his utter focus in life, even as he fled from the thought of it.

He slowly came to a stop as Sasuke did, knowing they had reached the one place were Sasuke felt the most alone. His home, the Uchiha Compound. Reaching his senses out to the gate before him, he shivered and backed away. Sasuke’s eyes were immediately upon him but he didn’t notice as the sick black chakra surrounding the compound reached for him, clawing at him. He flinched, tugging his senses away as the feel and smell of blood encompassed him. The echoes of pleas and screams, haunting. He raised hands to his ears, seeking to block the sound. So much, too much. He shook his head, body curling in on itself and groaned as the agony of a thousand deaths seized him. “No, no, noooo.” He moaned out as he felt the Uchiha pick him up and shake him slightly. The black chakra suddenly receded and he was surrounded in chill flames, wavering comfortably against his own. He shuddered and clung tightly to the raven haired boy, tears sliding down his cheeks as he was studied by dark eyes.

Never in all his twenty four years of life had he felt such a thing. That stuff, that thing that masked itself as chakra was sickening. Of course, the chakra of the Kyuubi was much much worse but the trace amount he’d felt in Naruto wasn’t enough to encompass him as that other chakra had. He was a bit embarrassed at his reaction. He’d simply been overwhelmed in his surprise. Shaking his head, he slowly loosened his hold on the Uchiha and apologized. “What did you see?” Was the reply that he received in answer to his apology and he silently applauded the Uchiha’s level head in this situation. They were standing across the street from the Uchiha compound, far enough so its chakra was only a hazy feeling of sadness. He suddenly stilled as he realized it was similar to the chakra he felt around Sasuke at times. That black chakra was tainting him. He wanted to be sick but instead focused on the boy who held him. “Lets go inside, Uchiha-san.” He mumbled, not wanting anyone to overhear, especially the ANBU. Sasuke looked at him, feeling wary but neared the gate slowly and walked in as the boy in his arms let out a shaky breath.

Once inside, the initial feeling dimmed back to the wavering feeling of sadness. The chakra was most focused at the gate, as if reaching for the people outside the place it protected. It was trapped in the very walls of the compound and he was grateful that it wasn’t focused much anywhere else. He could sense only one other mass of it but they avoided that place and he ignored it for the most part, instead focused on where they were headed. He could sense Sasuke’s chakra there, warm and beckoning. “Do you live here Uchiha-san?” He asked softly as he heard a door open. The other replied with a ‘hn’ which he took as a yes and smiled a bit as he was set down. He wandered as Sasuke walked off, most likely to his room and studied the place, hands outstretched as he’d long ago learned chakra less items tended to catch him off guard and the last thing he wanted to do was fall flat on his face. He probably looked silly like this and his thought proved correct as the Uchiha chuckled.

The male moved past him and he followed. Led into a room, he realized it was the kitchen from the different scents in the room which made him hungry. “Uchiha-san.” He called and the other glanced over to him. “I’m hungry.” He stated softly, not wanting the other to become annoyed with him but really it wasn’t his fault he hadn’t had breakfast yet. The older male ‘hn’d’ and set about moving this way and that within the kitchen, cooking. He himself moved to the side wall where he wouldn’t be in the others way and sat down, content to simply watch the chakra aura of the raven move back and forth and breath in deeply the wafting smells of deliciousness coming from the dish. He tried to guess what the other was making to himself and amused his twenty four year old mind with the vision of Obito bumbling around the kitchen with a Kakashi covered in flour and a loudly giggling Rin in the background. It reminded him of a mission they’d once had to complete and he smiled sadly. Obito and Rin, they were so young when they had passed away, just like Kushina had been.

Brought out of his thoughts as the movements in the kitchen stilled, he glanced up and looked around the room for the Uchiha’s chakra signal but he could see nothing. The soft comforting waves were simply coming from the building, built up from Sasuke’s prolonged stay here but the actual source was no longer in the kitchen with him. He tilted his head, standing up unsteadily and called out, “Uchiha-san?”

Sasuke stood mixing tea, his mind a hundred miles away. His thoughts were focused on the blonde’s earlier reaction at the gate. It had to mean something. Kakashi had mentioned more then a few times the boy’s abilities to read the things around him and he was so curious to know what he’d seen. Distracted as he was, he almost missed the shifting just outside the compound walls through the open kitchen screens. He froze for all of a moment before returning to his work, pretending to not have noticed as he spied upon the would be intruder discreetly. As the disturbances continued, his eyes narrowed and he glanced back at the boy beside the wall. A major mistake on his part as a kunai aimed at his neck came speeding towards him. He caught it by the handle and scowled. This was not a good time for this. He made his way outside quickly, trying not to disturb his guest and let a set of kunai fly, drawing the attackers away in the other direction.

“Uchiha-san?” He called again as no answer came.

He frowned slightly as he glanced around, his eyes stopping on the open screen. Walking over, he strained his hearing as he peered through into the small area beside the house. There was nothing but he had a feeling that wherever Sasuke had gone, it had been through here. He slid past the doors and outside, running down the long expanse of grass until the clash of metal was heard loudly before him. He stilled and his eyes widened at the sight of Sasuke pinned up against a tree, growling at the man holding him there with a kunai to his neck. The attack only held off by one of Sasuke’s own kunai. Both glanced at him but didn’t dare look away from one another lest they give the other a new opportunity to attack. Not knowing what to do he shifted from one foot to the other, uncomfortable with the spiking tension. Sure, he knew that he shouldn’t interfere but he felt wholly uncomfortable leaving Sasuke in his current position. His eyes darted away to the attacker and he couldn’t shake the feeling that the man was familiar. If he knew him, surely he wouldn’t be attacking the Uchiha, right? He felt his thoughts jumbled and he frowned once more. This day had been going so well, too. Why did these things always seem to happen to him?

The attacker seemed to be studying him as well from their current stand still. The eyes that looked at him seemingly looking through him and into his soul caused him to shudder, though not out of fear. Instead it was from the intense feeling of knowing that he knew who this was yet nothing came to him and he felt his frustration grow.


End file.
